throw off

throw off

1. To hurl or cast someone or something off. A noun or pronoun can be used between "throw" and "off." He threw off his hat and jacket in anger.The horse threw its rider off as it bucked wildly.

2. To rid oneself of someone or something; to cast someone or something out. A noun or pronoun can be used between "throw" and "off." I've had a bad cough for a few weeks that I can't seem to throw off.You need to throw your regrets off and focus on the task at hand.I've been trying to throw off people who only add negativity to my life.

3. To emit; to radiate or give off. A noun or pronoun can be used between "throw" and "off." Though the fruit throws off a horrid smell, it is actually quite delicious.The lantern threw off a weak light in the darkness.

4. To misdirect someone away from the subject of their pursuit; to steer someone's investigation or suspicions in the wrong direction. A noun or pronoun can be used between "throw" and "off." At first I suspected a surprise party, but I was thrown off when Mike said he was going out of town for the weekend.The mafia accountant had been throwing the authorities off for years to cover the mob's money laundering.

5. To confuse or befuddle someone; to hamper or impair someone's performance, confidence, or concentration. A noun or pronoun can be used between "throw" and "off." Her snide remarks in the middle of my presentation really threw me off.You can tell the home team was thrown off by the new defensive approach.

6. To say or utter something casually, carelessly, or in an offhand manner. A noun or pronoun can be used between "throw" and "off." She threw off a remark that her son would be taking over the department.In its financial earnings report, the company's CEO threw the news off that they would be selling their mobile phone division.

throw (someone or an animal) off (of)something

and throw someone or an animal off

to divert or confuse someone or an animal away from something, such as the scent, track, or trail. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) She put a little detail in her story to throw the cops off of her trail. The diversion threw off the investigation.

throw someone or something off (of)something

and throw someone or something off

to cast someone or something off something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) The character in the movie wanted to throw the heroine off a cliff. He went to the middle of the bridge and threw off the gun used in the shooting.

throw off

1. Cast out, rid oneself of, as in He threw off all unpleasant memories and went to the reunion. [Early 1600s]

2. Give off, emit, as in The garbage was throwing off an awful smell. [First half of 1700s] Also see throw out, def. 1.

3. Also, throw or put off the scent . Distract, divert, or mislead, as in A mistaken estimate threw off her calculations, or These clues were designed to throw the detective off the scent. The variant comes from hunting, where the quarry may try to put pursuing hounds off the scent. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1800s. Also see off the track.

4. Perform in a quick, spontaneous, or casual manner, as in He threw off one sketch after another. [Mid-1700s]

5. To distract, divert, or mislead someone or something: The scent threw off the dogs. A wrong measurement threw her estimate off.

6. To do, finish, or accomplish something in a casual or offhand way; toss something off: I threw off a quick response to the letter I'd received.

7. To stop the operation, activity, or flow of something controlled by a flip switch: After the meeting, I told them to throw off the lights. You can throw the current off the back porch with this switch.

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.